Month: January 2017

Last Sunday, despite a snowstorm and very icy streets, three intrepid souls showed up at my home for a lengthy discussion of Lesson 8 of The Way of Mastery, “Dropping Pebbles into the Pool of Awareness.”

Jeshua is kind but adamant in his direction that not one of us is a victim of our circumstances. We choose what to allow into our awareness (items he refers to as pebbles), and from these we form beliefs, ideas, and ways of being that we adhere to, sometimes with little understanding.

Jeshua’s message seemed especially timely after the pain of losing my friend to bone cancer, and the chaotic swirl that has followed the outcome of presidential election. He stresses that we are connected to the web of relationships all the time, even if we are unaware of the connections. But the main point is that we bring all these events and ideas into our lives, and that we give them power over ourselves because we often want to claim the “victim” status. All events are neutral, he reminds us, but our judging mind considers everything from the standpoint of “good” or “bad.” This also includes “better” or “worse” as in our comparisons with others, and “useful” or “frivolous” based on our judgments. At times, I am overcome by how busy my mind is with all this judging.

He lovingly and playfully reminds us that “Surrender, then, is the process in which you finally relent; you give up resisting the fact of your very existence” as a beloved, wise and worthwhile child of God, and that you “stop whining about it.” Accept your individual magnificence, he tells us. We cannot be separate from our Creator. Truly, “There is no place to hide and nowhere to go.”

When Jeshua talks about “creating as Christ” he encourages us with “You think as God thinks, and God thinks lovingly. God thinks infinitely, timelessly, patiently, certainly, and above all, God thinks playfully – full of play!” In today’s world, it seems that most of us have forgotten how to play.

One especially significant thought he shared, at least for me, given my recent car accident, was this: He reminds us that “I and my Father are one!” And then he states, “You on the other hand have said, ‘That sounds very good, I and my Father are one. Oh, here is a pebble that says my car needs to break down today.’” I nearly sullied myself when I read that. He was talking to me!

His last paragraph in the Lesson speaks directly to what I’ve been seeing as chaos in the world. “Beloved and holy friends, remember that I come not to bring peace to the world, but to shake it up so that those beings that make up the world can discover where true peace is truly hidden – within themselves. And where Heaven abides – within themselves. And where Christ lives – within themselves.”

That statement helps me to adjust my view of the world, and remember that all is truly in perfect order.

I’ve been in a prolonged “funk” over events from the last year that left me feeling hopeless and uninspired. This included an accident with my car on Christmas night that has since left me without transportation.

I was journaling about this on Monday, but fortunately was rescued by two wonderful friends who came to town to do “the big shopping.” We piled into their vehicle and went directly to lunch. We then zoomed around to different shops and stores to get everything done. I felt better after spending time in their loving presence, but was still more on the morose side than cheery.

Yesterday, a very talented healer gifted me two hours of her time and expertise, after which I felt rejuvenated. Following that, we went to lunch, and shared stories of horses and travel. We laughed a good deal. One phrase she shared with me made me laugh but also made me think. “Surrender yourself daily to God, and then go forth and sin bravely.”

I woke up this morning with a James Taylor song running through my brain. The lyrics are something like this: “You are my only one. You are my only one. Don’t be leavin’ me now. Just believe in me now. You are my only one.” I considered it a message from Jeshua, a booster of faith – sorely needed and readily supplied.

So I turned to The Way of Mastery this morning, in anticipation of our monthly gathering this coming Sunday. Lesson 8 is “Dropping Pebbles into the Pool of Awareness.” I read the first three pages, and had to restrain myself from highlighting nearly every line.

Jeshua’s lessons are sometimes (well, most of the time for me) like eating a really rich meal. I can only take small bites, and I have to chew on them for a very long time. So I turned to Anita Moorjani’s book, What If This Is Heaven? and continued my spiritual meal there. I was already in the middle of her chapter, “Myth: Spiritual People Don’t Have Egos” and found great comfort in her perspective. I would like to share with you what I consider to be a very powerful paragraph.

“I notice that when I remember who I truly am – that I am divinity expressing through this body, through this personality, this ego, this culture, this life – the people around me change and react to what I am feeling within myself…My circumstances change, and my reactions to situations change. I believe that each and every one of us is powerful beyond belief, and none of us is deprived of this power. It’s only our beliefs and our conditioning that blind us to the numinous, or universal force within…”

Dear Ones – my New Year’s wish for you is this: find strength through family, friends and love, wherever and whenever those things appear on your radar. Every encounter with another, or an idea in a book, is an opportunity for true spiritual growth. Share freely these ideas and this love. You never know how much a positive influence you can have. Just trust that you will. Happy New Year.

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